Athletes of the Week July 3
Isaiah Brisco
One of the top three-sport athletes in Cape’s 51-year history, the “I Man” put together an outstanding 2007-08 senior year, which included being named a first-team all-state running back. Bill Collick, who was at Sussex Tech at that time, said, “We were happy every time Isaiah didn’t touch the football.” Isaiah was a starter on the Cape basketball team that won 15 games in a row, including a miraculous comeback against Concord in the state tournament. Talent on that team coached by Dwight Tingle included Shemik Thompson, Dom Thomas, Mike Pritchett, Jordan Allen and Tre Jones. Isaiah ran track in the spring, leading coach Charlie Pollard’s team to a Henlopen Conference Championship. Isaiah won the 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles in the state meet. He was on the track honor roll in the high jump. Isaiah just turned 30, has a 9-month-old daughter and manages the Food Lion in Selbyville.
Shanel Dickens
Shanel was a stalwart middle-distance star and stellar student for Cape who graduated in 2012. Shanel won two state track championships with coach George Pepper in 2011 and 2012. Cape won 91-84 over Christiana to claim the 2011 title, then came back the following year to win 98-93 over Delcastle. Shanel ran for and graduated from the University of Delaware, and now works for Amazon. The late Eduardo Saez and Priscilla are her parents. Shanel owns the Cape school record in the 400 and 800. She anchored the school-record 3,200-meter relay with Ali Coning, Rachel Sadowski and Rebecca Pepper. Shanel also anchored four different Penn Relays sectional winners over four years. She ran a personal best 5:16 in the 1,600 meters. Running indoors at the University of Delaware, Shanel ran 1:17 for 500 meters, 58:03 for 400 meters and 2:11.58 for 800 meters. Just like Amazon, Shanel is the complete package.
Woody Disharoon
A 71-year-old athlete and lifetime Laurel resident, Woody has been snapping this spring in the competitive 70-74 male age group. Woody won his age group in the virtual Jungle Jim’s 5K, clocking 27:12, just ahead of Jules Woodall (27:31) and Tim Abbott (27:49). Woody also won the Father's Day 5K in 25:52 and Beebe Heroes 5K in 25:48. He won the Masser 5-Miler in 48:46. Woody retired from Homeland Security with TSA at Salisbury Airport and began running in the late ’80s. He’s also competed in triathlons and masters track and field. Woody shut it down from 1998 to 2014 because of chronic back issues. He did 45 races last year when he injured his Achilles tendon competing in the Delaware Senior Olympics. He and his wife Sharon will be married 50 years July 25. Woody served 20 years in the Navy Reserves at Fort Miles. Woody trains 30 miles a week. He won three gold medals last year at the Maryland Senior Olympics.
Jules Woodall
“Poppa Ju Ju” can run and dance all in the same hour. The 6-foot-4 former three-sport athlete from Smyrna, now 72, rarely misses a race. He ran the Jungle Jim’s 5K in 27:31, the Father's Day 5K in 28:11 and Beebe Heroes 5K in 27:54. Jules was second in the Masser 5-Miler. Wayne Kursh, race director of Races2Run, said, “Dude is awesome. He’s run 150-plus Ten Sisters races in a row. If there is music afterward, he leads the way on the dance floor. A humble guy who just loves to run races.” Jules worked 40 years as an accountant at UD and in various roles with the state. He played football, basketball and baseball at Smyrna, then went to Delaware State all four years, where he played one year of basketball and then intramural basketball. This is his 21st year of running. Jules said, “I cross-train and do weights at the Y. I do some easy weekly running. Pretty much limit my hard miles to racing. My slogan is, ‘If it hurts, don’t do it too long.’”
